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Reading a Ballot Question Word by Word

6th grade nonfiction passage about reading ballot questions: 241 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

6th grade nonfiction reading ballot questions 241 words

Reading a Ballot Question Word by Word

Voters often choose between people, but sometimes the ballot asks a question instead. It might ask whether a town should borrow money to repair a bridge, or whether to change the number of members on a board. These questions can be harder to read than a list of names, because the exact words matter.

Start with who is asking and what the measure would do. Many places print a short summary along with the full text. Next, look for the words that tell you what a yes vote means. Some questions are written so that yes changes a rule, while others use yes to keep the rule the same. A voter who reads quickly could choose the opposite of what they meant.

Pay attention to the details too. If money is involved, does the question say where it comes from and how long it lasts? Does it mention a date when the change would start?

Voters can prepare before election day. Many election offices mail out a voter guide or post one online, and most places publish a sample ballot ahead of time. Reading it at home leaves time to ask a parent, a librarian or a neighbor about words you do not know.

The goal is not to vote a certain way. It is to make sure your choice matches what you actually think. Reading carefully, even if it takes a minute, is a way of respecting your own vote.

Questions

  1. What is one kind of question a ballot might ask? in the text

  2. What should a voter look for to learn what a yes vote means? in the text

  3. What can voters use before election day to prepare? in the text

  4. Why can a ballot question be harder to read than a list of names? in the text

  5. How could a fast reader end up voting the opposite of what they meant? think about it

  6. What is the main goal of reading a question slowly? think about it

Words to know

ballot
the paper or screen a voter uses to cast a vote
measure
a proposal that voters decide on
summary
a short account of the main points
sample
a practice copy that shows what the real one looks like
details
small but important facts
Share

One passage, three levels

The same topic and facts written three ways, so a mixed class can read and talk about one text. Each group’s sheet shows only a shape; the key says which is which.

● Easier · 213 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2

Voters often pick between people. But sometimes the ballot asks a question. It might ask if a town should borrow money to fix a bridge. Or it might ask to change the number of board members. These can be harder to read than a list of names. The exact words matter.

Start with who is asking and what the measure would do. Many places print a short summary and the full text. Next, look for the words that tell what a yes vote means. Some questions use yes to change a rule. Others use yes to keep the rule the same. A fast reader could pick the opposite of what they meant.

Look at the details too. If money is involved, where does it come from? How long does it last? Is there a date when the change starts?

Voters can get ready before election day. Many election offices mail a voter guide or post one online. Most places also publish a sample ballot. Reading it at home leaves time to ask a parent, a librarian or a neighbor about hard words.

The goal is not to vote a certain way. It is to make sure your choice matches what you think. Reading with care is a way to respect your own vote.

▲ This passage · 241 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.9

Voters often choose between people, but sometimes the ballot asks a question instead. It might ask whether a town should borrow money to repair a bridge, or whether to change the number of members on a board. These questions can be harder to read than a list of names, because the exact words matter.

Start with who is asking and what the measure would do. Many places print a short summary along with the full text. Next, look for the words that tell you what a yes vote means. Some questions are written so that yes changes a rule, while others use yes to keep the rule the same. A voter who reads quickly could choose the opposite of what they meant.

Pay attention to the details too. If money is involved, does the question say where it comes from and how long it lasts? Does it mention a date when the change would start?

Voters can prepare before election day. Many election offices mail out a voter guide or post one online, and most places publish a sample ballot ahead of time. Reading it at home leaves time to ask a parent, a librarian or a neighbor about words you do not know.

The goal is not to vote a certain way. It is to make sure your choice matches what you actually think. Reading carefully, even if it takes a minute, is a way of respecting your own vote.

■ Harder · 251 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.4

Voters usually choose between candidates, but occasionally the ballot poses a question instead. It might ask whether a town ought to borrow money to repair a bridge, or whether the number of members on a board should be altered. Such questions can be more difficult to read than a list of names, because the precise wording matters a great deal.

Begin by finding out who is asking and what the measure would accomplish. Many places print a short summary alongside the full text. Then look for the words that explain what a yes vote means. Some questions are written so that yes changes a rule, whereas others use yes to leave the rule as it is. A voter who reads hastily could end up choosing the opposite of what was intended.

Attend to the details as well. If money is involved, does the question say where it comes from and how long it will last? Does it mention a date on which the change would begin?

Voters can prepare well before election day. Many election offices mail out a voter guide or post one online, and most places publish a sample ballot in advance. Reading it at home leaves time to ask a parent, a librarian or a neighbor about any unfamiliar words.

The goal is not to vote in a particular way but to make certain that your choice matches what you truly think. Reading carefully, even when it takes a minute, is a way of respecting your own vote.

Download as one PDF

How to use it

  1. Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
  2. Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
  3. Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.

Ideas for class

  • Before reading, put ballot, measure, summary, sample and details on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the text will be about.
  • Read it aloud once while students follow along, then have them reread it alone or with a partner. At a calm 100 words a minute it takes about 2 minutes to read aloud.
  • Use the Read it big button (or B) to put the text on the projector, and Show answer on one question at a time so the class commits to an answer first.
  • Question 5 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
  • Ask students to write one question the passage did not answer, then look for the answer in a book or on a classroom screen.
  • Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "Reading a Ballot Question Word by Word"?

It was written for 6th grade. It has 241 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 5.8. That is a formula's estimate from sentence length and syllables, and it is not a Lexile or a guided reading level, so check it against your students.

What do the questions ask?

There are six. 4 ask for something the text says directly and 2 ask the reader to work something out from clues. Each has an answer in the key, and the answers are written as a teacher would accept them, not as the only possible wording.

How long does it take to read?

About 2 minutes read aloud at 100 words a minute. For a one-minute fluency check, paste it into the fluency timer and use the word count.

Can I print it?

Yes. Print student copy gives the passage, the questions with lines to write on, and the word meanings. Print with answers gives the same page with the answers filled in. Both are made in your browser.

Is this passage from a published book?

No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.

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